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Nonwoven spacer fabric

a spacer fabric and fabric technology, applied in the field of nonwoven textile fabrics, can solve the problems of increasing production costs, limited production speed, and limitations in simultaneously bonding and connecting layers of lightweight fabrics, and achieve the effect of maximum production speed and retrofitability, and greater versatility in the structure and formation of such fabrics

Inactive Publication Date: 2010-05-18
NONWOVENS INNOVATION & RES INST
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008]The present invention is intended to overcome the problems and limitations encountered with existing 3D nonwoven spacer fabrics and their methods of manufacture, and to provide greater versatility in the structure and formation of such fabrics in terms of fabric weight, fabric thickness, void geometries and dimensions maximum production speed and capability for retrofitting.

Problems solved by technology

However, this approach suffers from the disadvantage that the speed of production is limited to a maximum of about 10 m / min and generally there are limitations in simultaneously bonding and connecting layers in lightweight fabrics below 100 g / m2.
Thus, a preconsolidated web structure is normally required which tends to increase the cost of production.
A further disadvantage of the method of the prior art is the risk of needle breakage, which has a deleterious effect on fabric quality and product acceptance in critical applications (e.g. contact layers used in woundcare).
The bonding technology that is adapted by the prior art (e.g. needlepunching) does not permit light-weight 3D nonwoven spacer fabric structures to be produced and the fabrics of the prior art are comparatively thick.
The dimensions and geometry of the voids are also limited.

Method used

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
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Examples

Experimental program
Comparison scheme
Effect test

example 1

[0062]In particular, examples of three applications are identified a) light-weight thermal insulation, b) wipes with in-built detergent delivery and c) super-absorbent diaper cores. The light-weight insulation product was prepared using a typical 3D nonwoven spacer fabric produced according to the present invention in which the voids were filled with a material called Silica gel in situ as the fabric was formed. The thermal insulation characteristics of the fabric were measured and compared with a conventional spunlaced fabric and results are given in table 3. The results showed better thermal insulation for the 3D nonwoven spacer fabrics containing the powder in the channel-like voids compared with the conventional spunlaced fabric.

[0063]A detergent-delivery wipe was produced using a 3D nonwoven spacer fabric produced according to this invention, which was filled by pumping a liquid cleaning agent in to the internal channel-like voids during fabric manufacture. The surface of the c...

example 2

[0067]Using a retrofitted apparatus schematically illustrated in FIG. 2, a 3D nonwoven spacer fabric was produced using two carded, cross-lapped layers made of viscose fibre of 1.7 dtex fineness and 40 mm length. A simple spacer device consisting of an array of smooth rods was used and channel-like voids, as generally shown in FIG. 3, were formed. The hydroentanglement machine specifications used in this example are summarised in table 1.

[0068]

TABLE 1Hydroentanglement machine specificationsParametersSpecificationsWater pressure70 bar in total (profiled)Conveyor belt speed8 m / minBelt specifications4 / 1 Step twill with weft facedside uppermostJet orifice diameter130μ, Pitch 0.7 mmJet Density1197 holes / mCoefficient of discharge0.66

[0069]The dimensional characteristics and some physical attributes of the produced fabric were measured and given in table 2 and 3. The results show that the 3D spacer nonwoven fabric exhibits better physical characteristics compared with the flat fabric.

[0070...

example 3

[0072]A fabric was produced in which the internal voids of the fabric were coated with a vapour permeable PU polymer for the purpose of encapsulating active agents such as cleaning fluids, or soluble particulate products. In the application, these may be delivered from within the voids to the outside of the fabric as the fabric is compressed by permeation through, or fracture of, the internal coating (see FIG. 1).

[0073]The coating polymer type and thickness are varied to control the delivery characteristics of the fabric and different functional materials can be stored in adjacent or banks of voids as required.

[0074]A fabric that enables the delivery of active agents such as cleaning agents, cosmetics and healthcare products at a controlled rate and if necessary, preferentially to one side of the fabric only, was achieved by constructing a hydroentangled spacer fabric with variable wall permeability as shown in FIG. 2.

[0075]The shape, size and frequency of the voids can be controlle...

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Abstract

The invention provides a non-woven fabric comprising at least two separate but interconnected layers, each of the layers being provided with discrete interconnections so as to provide discrete voids between the two layers of fabric.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]The present application is a U.S. national phase application of PCT Application No. PCT / GB2004 / 003001, filed Jul. 9, 2004, and claims the benefit of Great Britain Application No. 0316192.4, filed Jul. 11, 2003 and Great Britain Application No. 0318662.4, filed Aug. 8, 2003, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]This invention relates to the field of nonwoven textile fabrics and processing in particular to three-dimensional (3D) nonwoven spacer fabrics and the process of making such fabrics.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Nonwoven fabrics with a marked 3D structure are important in technical textile applications such as geotextiles, automotive components, upholstery and foam replacement, insulation (thermal and sound insulation applications) and civil engineering amongst others. A fabric with high compressive force resistance and high longitudinal and transverse loa...

Claims

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Patents(United States)
IPC IPC(8): B32B3/20B32B5/26D04H1/46D04H3/10D04H5/02A61F13/15C11D17/04D04H1/425D04H1/4266D04H1/4326D04H13/00
CPCA61F13/5323D04H1/425D04H1/4266D04H1/4326D04H1/46D04H1/70D04H3/037D04H13/00A61F13/539A61F13/15699A61F13/15707C11D17/049Y10T428/24744A61F2013/15829A61F2013/15983A61F2013/53975Y10T428/2481Y10T428/24562D04H1/732D04H5/03Y10T442/643Y10T442/654Y10T442/666Y10T442/689Y10T442/699Y10T442/659Y10T442/668
Inventor RUSSELL, STEPHEN J.POURMOHAMMADI, ALIREZAMAO, NINGTAOAHMED, IDRIS A.RATHOD, MANOJ K.
Owner NONWOVENS INNOVATION & RES INST
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